Reversible garment with shoulder pads and reversible shoulder pads

ABSTRACT

A reversible garment for covering at least a portion of a wearer&#39;s upper body, comprising: at least one front panel for at least partially covering a front portion of a wearer&#39;s torso, at least one back panel for at least partially covering a back portion of the wearer&#39;s torso, wherein first and second shoulder areas are formed between the at least one front panel and the at least one back panel, first and second shoulder pads for providing shaping to the wearer&#39;s shoulders, each of the first and second shoulder pads being releasably attached to a respective one of the first and second shoulder areas, wherein the reversible garment has first and second opposing surfaces, with the first surface being external and the second surface being internal when the reversible garment is worn in a first configuration and the second surface being external and the first surface being internal when the reversible garment is worn in a second, inverted, configuration, and wherein the first and second shoulder pads are configured to (a) releasably attach to the second surface of the respective first and second shoulder areas when the reversible garment is worn in the first configuration, and (b) releasably attach to the first surface of the respective first and second shoulder areas when the reversible garment is worn in the second configuration.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/956,694, filed Jan. 3, 2020, incorporated herein in its entirety by reference

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to garments and in particular, reversible garments that use shoulder padding, and to removable and/or reversible shoulder pads for use in garments.

INTRODUCTION

Reversible clothing, such as swimwear, sweaters, activewear and active jackets, and reversible accessories, such as belts and bags, are popular among consumers. Reversible clothing and accessories are particularly useful for traveling in order to provide additional color and pattern options for the wearer without increasing the weight and size of their luggage. Reversible clothing and accessories are also very useful for those who have limited storage space but would like to have many color choices and combinations for their attire.

For a garment to be reversible, the garment needs to be sufficiently flexible to be turned inside out and must also be able to maintain a similar shape when worn inside out. This is typically not the case for garments that include shoulder pads because conventional shoulder pads are constructed so as to have a specific shape and are sewn into the garment so as to maintain the specific shape of the garment in the original configuration only. Therefore, conventional garments that include shoulder pads cannot be reversed or worn inside out because the garment would not be able to maintain a similar shape when worn inside out due to the configuration and attachment of the shoulder pads to the garment.

Conventional shoulder pads are made from fabric covered padding, which can be foam padding or a filler such as wool or cotton, or from multi-layered fabric, such as cotton. Conventional shoulder pads have a wide variety of shapes to provide particular definition to the shoulder, including all-purpose semicircular shoulder pads or more structured three-dimensional shoulder pads including set-in shoulder pads, Armani-style shoulder pads, raglan shoulder pads, etc. Typically, a shoulder pad is sewn to the garment along the shoulder seam of the garment and along the arm hole seam in order to maintain its positioning and shape within the garment. However, conventional construction and attachment of the shoulder pad does not allow for reversibility without affecting the appearance of the garment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a reversible garment for covering at least a portion of a wearer's upper body, comprising at least one front panel for at least partially covering a front portion of a wearer's torso, at least one back panel for at least partially covering a back portion of the wearer's torso, wherein first and second shoulder areas are formed between the at least one front panel and the at least one back panel, and first and second shoulder pads for providing shaping to the wearer's shoulders, with each of the first and second shoulder pads being releasably attached to a respective one of the first and second shoulder areas. The reversible garment has first and second opposing surfaces, with the first surface being external and the second surface being internal when the reversible garment is worn in a first configuration and the second surface being external and the first surface being internal when the reversible garment is worn in a second, inverted, configuration. In addition, the first and second shoulder pads are configured to releasably attach to the second surface of the respective first and second shoulder areas when the reversible garment is worn in the first configuration, and also to releasably attach to the first surface of the respective first and second shoulder areas when the reversible garment is worn in the second configuration. In certain embodiments, the reversible garment may be provided separately from the first and second shoulder pads and the first and second shoulder pads may be interchangeable with other shoulder pads.

In certain embodiments, the reversible garment also includes one or more first fastening portions provided on the second surface of each of the first and second shoulder areas, one or more second fastening portions provided on each of the first and second shoulder pads and configured to couple with the one or more first fastening portions to releasably attach the first and second shoulder pads to the respective first and second shoulder areas, and one or more third fastening portions provided on the first surface of each of the first and second shoulder areas. In some embodiments, the third fastening portions are configured to couple with the one or more second fastening portions on each of the first and second shoulder pads. In other embodiments, the third fastening portions have a different configuration from the first fastening portions and the reversible garment also includes one or more fourth fastening portions provided on each of the first and second shoulder pads and configured to couple with one or more third fastening portions to releasably attach the first and second shoulder pads to the respective first and second shoulder areas.

In some embodiments, the first fastening portions and the third fastening portions comprise decorative fastening portions. In certain embodiments, the first and second shoulder areas include respective first and second epaulettes on the first surface thereof, and each of the first and second epaulettes is configured to releasably couple with at least one third fastening portion on the respective first and second shoulder area. The first and second epaulettes may conceal one or more of the third fastening portions on the respective first and second shoulder area.

In some embodiments, each of the first and second shoulder areas includes one or more first fastening portions, and each of the first and second shoulder pads includes one or more second fastening portions configured to magnetically couple with the one or more first fastening portions to releasably attach the first and second shoulder pads to the respective first and second shoulder areas. The one or more first fastening portions may be provided between layers of material of the first and second shoulder areas. In some embodiments, one of the first and second fastening portions includes one or more recesses formed therein and the other one of the first and second fastening portions includes one or more projections formed therein. The projections are configured to fit into said one or more recesses and to aid in positioning the first and second shoulder pads relative to the respective first and second shoulder areas. In some embodiments, each first fastening portion includes a first fastening surface and an opposing second fastening surface, and the recesses or the projections are provided on the first and second fastening surfaces of the first fastening portion.

The present invention is also directed to a reversible garment for covering at least a portion of a wearer's upper body, comprising at least one front panel for at least partially covering a front portion of a wearer's torso, at least one back panel for at least partially covering a back portion of the wearer's torso, wherein first and second shoulder areas are formed between the at least one front panel and the at least one back panel, first and second shoulder pads for providing shaping to the wearer's shoulders, each of the first and second shoulder pads being positioned between layers of material of the respective one of the first and second shoulder areas, wherein the reversible garment includes at least one hidden access opening configured to allow access to the first and second shoulder pads from outside of the reversible garment, said first and second shoulder pads being one of (a) removable from the respective first and second shoulder areas via the hidden access opening and (b) invertible while being retained in the first and second shoulder areas. For example, the first and shoulder pads may be attached to the respective shoulder areas using a hinge mechanism so that they can be inverted while being retained in the garment. In certain embodiments, the reversible garment may be provided separately from the first and second shoulder pads and the first and second shoulder pads may be interchangeable with other shoulder pads.

In some embodiments, the at least one hidden access opening is provided on one or more of an inner surface and an outer surface of the reversible garment and the hidden access opening is substantially concealed from view when the garment is worn by a wearer. In certain embodiments, at least one fastener for opening and closing the at least one hidden access opening is provided, and the at least one fastener is concealed when the garment is worn by a wearer.

In some embodiments, each hidden access opening is provided along an armhole seam connecting a sleeve to the respective first or second shoulder area, an armhole seam connecting the sleeve to the at least one front panel, or an armhole seam connecting the sleeve to the at least one back panel. In other embodiments, the hidden access opening is provided along a seam along the respective first or second shoulder area.

In some embodiments, the reversible garment includes a collar and a lapel extending from the collar. In such embodiments, the hidden access opening may be provided on one of the front and back panels at a position covered by collar or by the lapel when the garment is worn by a wearer.

The present invention is also directed to an invertible shoulder pad for use in a garment. In some embodiments, the invertible shoulder pad comprises a substrate including a plurality of internal separated compartments, and each of the plurality of separated compartments is filled with shape conformable filler materials. The plurality of separated compartments are separated from one another along at least one of a width and a length of the substrate. In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of separated compartments is filled more densely than another one of the plurality of separated compartments.

In certain embodiments, the invertible shoulder pad comprises a flexible substrate configured to define a shape of a wearer's shoulder and a plurality of bendable shaping elements for adjusting and retaining the shape of the flexible substrate. The shoulder pad is configured to be inverted by bending the plurality of shaping elements. In some embodiments, the shaping elements comprise one or more of boning and wiring.

In certain embodiments, the invertible shoulder pad comprises a substrate having a predetermined shape and is formed from a flexible polymer material. The shoulder pad is configured to be inverted from an original configuration to an inverted configuration and has substantially the same predetermined shape in the original configuration and in the inverted configuration.

In yet other embodiments, the present invention is directed to a reversible garment for covering at least a portion of a wearer's upper body, comprising at least one front panel for at least partially covering a front portion of a wearer's torso, at least one back panel for at least partially covering a back portion of the wearer's torso, wherein first and second shoulder areas are formed between the at least one front panel and the at least one back panel. In certain embodiments, the reversible garment has first and second opposing surfaces, with the first surface being external and the second surface being internal when the reversible garment is worn in a first configuration and the second surface being external and the first surface being internal when the reversible garment is worn in a second, inverted, configuration. The first and second shoulder areas are configured to (a) releasably couple first and second shoulder pads to the second surface of the respective first and second shoulder areas in the first configuration and (b) releasably couple first and second shoulder pads to the first surface of the respective first and second shoulder areas in the second configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A and 1B show a first example of a reversible garment with removable shoulder pads;

FIGS. 2A and 2B show a second example of a reversible garment with removable shoulder pads;

FIG. 3 shows a third example of a reversible garment with removable and/or reversible shoulder pads;

FIG. 4 shows a fourth example of a reversible garment with removable and/or reversible shoulder pads;

FIG. 5 shows a fifth example of a reversible garment with removable and/or reversible shoulder pads;

FIG. 6 shows a first example of a shoulder pad;

FIGS. 7A and 7B show a second example of shoulder pads; and

FIGS. 8A-8B show a third example of shoulder pads that use shaping elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Drawings have been used herein to depict select exemplary embodiments. For the sake of clear illustration, many practical details are explained together in the description below. However, it should be appreciated that those details should not be used to limit the scope of any claims that issue in connection with this application. In some embodiments, certain details are not essential.

Moreover, for the sake of drawing simplification, some customary structures and elements in the drawings have been shown in a simplified way. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It should be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present description, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

The present invention is directed to a reversible garment that uses shoulder pads, and which is capable of maintaining its shape and appearance in its original orientation and in a reversed configuration, i.e., inside out. The garment can be a jacket, a blazer, a sweater, a coat, a dress, or any other garment that can use shoulder pads for enhancing the wearer's appearance and for defining the wearer's shoulders. Generally, the garment includes at least one back panel that covers or at least partially covers the back of a wearer's torso, and at least one front panel that covers or at least partially covers the front of a wearer's torso. In some cases, the garment has a single front panel, such as in a sweater, sweatshirt or a dress, while in other cases, the garment has two or more front panels, such as in a blazer or a coat. In the garment, the first and second shoulder areas are formed between the front panel(s) and the back panel(s). In some embodiments, the front and back panels are directly connected to each other so that the first and second shoulder areas are formed by the connected end portions of the front and back panels. However, in other embodiments, the front and back panels may be indirectly connected to each other, such as via a yoke that forms the first and second shoulder areas.

In addition, the garment, which is a reversible garment, has first and second opposing surfaces which form the inner and outer surfaces of the garment, depending on how the garment is worn. For example, the first surface is the external or outer surface and the second surface is the internal or inner surface when the reversible garment is worn in a first configuration Similarly, the second surface is an external or outer surface and the first surface being internal or inner surface when the reversible garment is worn in a second, inverted, configuration.

In certain embodiments, the shoulder pads are fully removable from the garment, such as by unfastening the shoulder pads or via a hidden opening, so that the shoulder pads can be removed before the garment is reversed and reinserted and/or reattached to the garment after reversing the garment. In these embodiments, the shoulder pads do not need to be reversible and can maintain the same shape in either the original configuration or in the reversed configuration. In other embodiments, the shoulder pads are permanently connected to the garment and when the garment is reversed, either the shoulder pad is reversed and re-shaped to conform to the wearer's shoulder or the orientation of the shoulder pad is internally reversed within the garment. Exemplary embodiments of garments with removable shoulder pads and non-removable shoulder pads are described in more detail below.

Removable Shoulder Pads

In certain embodiments, the garment includes removable shoulder pads which can be removed and flipped or reversed so that the garment can be worn inside out. In such embodiments, the shoulder pads can have any shape, and in some cases, the shoulder pads may be interchangeable with other shoulder pads that have a different shape to create a different appearance of the shoulder portion of the garment. The additional advantage of removable shoulder pads is that the garment may be washed or cleaned with the shoulder pads removed, which would not compromise the shape of the shoulder pads. In addition, the interchangeability of the shoulder pads provides an ability to create additional looks or an ability to customize one's look by selecting a desired shape of the shoulder pads to be worn in the garment. Examples of garments with removable shoulder pads described below are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

In one illustrative example, the garment includes decorative fasteners on the shoulder area thereof on both the exterior surface and on the inside surface thereof. The shoulder pad can attach to the inside surface of the garment's shoulder area using the decorative fasteners provided on the inside surface. When the garment is to be reversed so as to be worn inside out, the shoulder pads are detached from the decorative fasteners on the inside surface, the garment is turned inside out and the shoulder pads are then attached to the previously exterior surface of the shoulder area using the decorative fasteners. The decorative fasteners can be decorative buttons, wherein the shoulder pads have one or more loops corresponding to the decorative buttons, or decorative snaps, wherein the shoulder pads have one or more corresponding portions of the snaps. Other decorative fasteners may be used, such as zippers, buckles, frog fasteners, pins, clasps, etc. The decorative fasteners are used for maintaining the positioning of the shoulder pads relative to the shoulder area of the garment.

FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate a first exemplary embodiment of a reversible garment 1, which can be a jacket, that includes removable shoulder pads 2 and one or more of first decorative fasteners 3 a on the exterior surface of its shoulder area and one or more of second decorative fasteners 3 b on the inner surface of its shoulder area. The shoulder pads 2 are attached to the inner surface of the shoulder area of the jacket using the second decorative fasteners 3 b (not visible in FIG. 1A). When the jacket 1 is reversed, the shoulder pads 2 are detached from the second decorative fasteners 3 b and are reattached to the previously exterior surface of the shoulder area using the first decorative fasteners 3 a.

In FIGS. 1A-1B, the decorative fasteners 3 a, 3 b are decorative buttons and/or decorative snaps. When the decorative fasteners 3 a, 3 b are buttons, the shoulder pads 2 have corresponding loops or openings (not shown) for engagement with the buttons. When the decorative fasteners 3 a, 3 b are decorative snaps, the shoulder pads 2 have the corresponding snap portions that are configured to engage with the decorative fasteners 3 a, 3 b. It is understood that other types of fasteners may be used. For example, zippers may be used as the first and/or second fasteners 3 a, 3 b, wherein one lengthwise half of a zipper is provided on the shoulder area of the garment, while the other, corresponding, lengthwise half of the zipper (preferably the zipper half with the pull tab or slider) is provided on the shoulder pad. The zipper may be arranged along the shoulder area or across, and one or multiple zippers may be used in each shoulder area.

In the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 1A-1B, the shoulder area of the jacket may include multiple decorative fasteners provided in different positions in the shoulder area of the garment in order to ensure proper positioning of the shoulder pad. However, in other embodiments, one decorative fastener may be provided on each shoulder area on each surface, which may be sufficient to maintain the position of the shoulder pad relative to the shoulder area. The number and positions of the decorative fasteners 3 a, 3 b will depend on the desired appearance of the garment and the configuration and positioning requirements of the shoulder pad. For example, more structured and stiffer shoulder pads may require only one or two decorative fasteners, while softer, less structured shoulder pads may require additional decorative fasteners in each shoulder area.

The first decorative fasteners 3 a and the second decorative fasteners 3 b may be the same type of fasteners and may have the same appearance. However, in some embodiments, a variety of different decorative fasteners 3 a and 3 b may be used so long as the shoulder pads have corresponding fastening elements to couple with the first and second decorative fasteners 3 a, 3 b. For example, the first decorative fasteners 3 a may be buttons while the second decorative fasteners 3 b may be snaps, or the first decorative fasteners 3 a and/or the second decorative fasteners 3 b may include a button and a snap fastener on each shoulder area. In some embodiments, the appearance or style of the first decorative fasteners 3 a may be different from the appearance or style of the second decorative fasteners 3 b in order to create different looks for the garment 1 when the garment is worn in the original configuration or reversed/inside out.

FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate a second exemplary embodiment of a reversible garment 1 with decorative fasteners on the shoulder area on each side for attachment to a shoulder pad 2. The configuration of the garment 1 in FIGS. 2A-2B is similar to the configuration in FIGS. 1A-1B, except that the garment includes first epaulettes 4 a configured to engage with one or more first decorative fasteners 3 a provided on the exterior surface of each shoulder area and second epaulettes 4 b configured to engage with one or more second decorative fasteners 3 b on the inner surface of each shoulder area. In certain embodiments, the first and/or second epaulettes 4 a, 4 b cover one or more of the respective first and second fasteners 3 a, 3 b when engaged with one of the respective first and second fasteners 3 a, 3 b.

In the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 2A-2B, each of the epaulettes 4 a, 4 b includes a shoulder strap 5 a, 5 b extending from an outer edge of the shoulder area towards the collar of the garment and having its free end attached to the shoulder area of the garment using the decorative fastener 3 a, 3 b, such as a button or a snap. In some embodiments, the epaulette may be modified to have the shoulder strap extend from the collar edge of the shoulder area toward the outer edge and the free end of the strap being attached to the shoulder of the garment closer to the outer edge of the shoulder. In FIG. 2B, when the shoulder pad is attached to the inner surface of the shoulder area, the shoulder strap 5 b is detached from the decorative fastener 3 b. In addition, the shoulder strap 5 b may expose other fasteners 3 b provided under the strap 5 b. However, in some embodiments, the shoulder straps 5 a, 5 b and the decorative fasteners 3 a,3 b may be configured and positioned so that it is not necessary to detach the shoulder strap 5 a, 5 b in order to attach the shoulder pad 2 using the decorative fasteners 3 a, 3 b.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the shoulder straps 5 a of the first epaulettes 4 a are attached to the respective shoulder area using one or more decorative buttons 3 a, and may include one or more additional decorative buttons 3 a under the shoulder strap 5 a which are exposed when the free end of the shoulder strap 5 a is uncoupled from the shoulder area. The configuration of the second epaulettes 4 b may be substantially the same as that of the first epaulettes 4 b. In other embodiments, the second epaulettes 4 b may have a different configuration or appearance, depending on the style of the garment when it is reversed. In some embodiments, the second epaulettes 4 b may use different types of decorative fasteners 3 b from those of the first epaulettes 4 a as long as the shoulder pad 2 has the corresponding fastening portions thereon.

Although FIGS. 2A-2B show epaulettes 4 a, 4 b with decorative buttons 3 a, 3 b, in other embodiments, other types of fasteners may be used, including, but not limited to snaps, hook and eye fasteners, clips, etc. For example, zippers may be used instead of decorative buttons 3 a, 3 b, with a first lengthwise half of the zipper being provided on the shoulder area and a second, corresponding, lengthwise half of the zipper being provided on the strap 5 a, 5 b, and a similar second, corresponding lengthwise half of the zipper being provided on the shoulder pad. One or more zippers may be used for attaching each strap/shoulder pad to the shoulder area and the zippers may extend along or across the shoulder area. In addition, although in FIGS. 2A-2B, only one of the decorative fasteners closest to the collar is used for fastening the shoulder straps 5 a, 5 b, in other embodiments, one or more of the additional decorative fasteners 3 a, 3 b may be used for fastening the shoulder straps 5 a, 5 b.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2A-2B, the epaulettes 4 a, 4 b comprise straps 5 a, 5 b, with one end of the strap being attached to or extending from the garment and another end being detachably attached to the garment using one of the decorative fasteners 3 a, 3 b. In other embodiments, the straps 5 a, 5 b may be completely detachable from the garment, wherein each end of the strap 5 a, 5 b is connected to the shoulder area of the garment using the decorative fastener(s) 3 a, 3 b. In other embodiments, the epaulettes 4 a, 4 b may be in a different form from the straps, and may include, for example, decorative pads, cod pieces, patches or attachments which are attachable to the external shoulder area of the garment, e.g., using one or more decorative fasteners 3 a, 3 b, and may include decorative elements such as decorative stitching, sequence, crystals and other stones, tassels, fringes, spikes, etc. In some variations, the epaulettes may be completely detachable from the shoulder area and may be interchangeable with other epaulettes or other decorative attachments. This allows for additional variations in the appearance of the garment.

In the above-described illustrative examples, the removable shoulder pad is attached to the inner surface of the garment using decorative fasteners. However, in other embodiments, the removable shoulder pads are insertable between layers of materials of the shoulder area in the garment and are removable via a hidden access opening. The hidden access opening is preferably provided near the shoulder area of the garment and is preferably located in an area of the garment that is not subject to a lot of movement when worn in order to avoid bending of the material near the hidden access opening to make the hidden access opening visible.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary garment 10 that includes shoulder pads 20 that can be removed and inserted between layers of material of the garment via a hidden access opening 15 provided along an arm hole seam of the shoulder area, i.e., along the seam connecting the shoulder area of the garment to an arm of the garment. Although the hidden access opening 15 is shown at the top of the arm hole, in other embodiments, the hidden access opening may be located in any location of the arm hole seam, including in the seam area under the arm.

In the illustrative example shown in FIG. 3, the hidden access opening 15 is closed using a zipper 15 a, which may be a hidden zipper or an invisible zipper so that it is not visible when it is closed. In other embodiments, the hidden access opening may be closed using snaps, buttons, magnets, hook and eye fasteners, hook and loop fasteners, pins or any other suitable fasteners, or using a combination of a zipper with snaps, buttons, magnets, hook and eye fasteners, etc. to further prevent exposure of the zipper. In some embodiments, the hidden access opening 15 is provided only on one surface of the garment, so that there is no corresponding hidden access opening on the reverse surface of the garment. However, if necessary, the hidden access opening 15 may be provided on both surfaces of the garment, and may be provided in the same area or in different areas of the garment. Moreover, in certain embodiments, where the style of the garment permits, the zippers, snaps or buttons that are used for closing the hidden access opening may be visible and may be decorative so as to add stylistic elements to the garment.

In some illustrative embodiments, the hidden access opening 15 may be provided in the body of the garment and under the lapel of the garment, under the collar of the garment or under any other overlapping portion in the garment. FIG. 4 shows a jacket 10 with a lapel 25, wherein the body of the jacket 10 underlying the lapel includes the hidden access opening 15. In FIG. 4, the left side of the lapel 25 is lifted to expose the hidden access opening 15.

In some embodiments, the hidden access opening 15 may be formed as a slit opening with reinforced edges to prevent widening of the slit opening and to maintain the shape of the garment. In some embodiments, the hidden access opening may appear as a patch pocket or a jetted pocket from the outside. The hidden access opening 15 may be left open, without any fasteners or may be fastened closed using a zipper, one or more buttons, one or more snaps, one or more magnets, etc., or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments, the hidden access opening 15 is provided only on one surface of the garment, e.g., either on the exterior surface or on the inner surface. However, if needed, the hidden access opening 15 may be provided on both surfaces of the garment. In such embodiments, the locations of the hidden access openings on the exterior and inner surfaces may be substantially the same or different from one another.

In some embodiments, the hidden access opening is provided under a collar of the garment. The hidden access opening may be located at the front of the garment at a higher position than in FIG. 4 or on the side adjacent the shoulder area. Alternatively, the hidden access opening may be located at the back of the garment under the collar.

FIG. 5 shows another illustrative example of a garment 10 which has a hidden access opening 15 provided along the shoulder seam 30 of the garment. Since the shoulder area tends to move a lot when the garment is worn, it is preferred that the hidden access be opened and closed using a fastener, which may be a hidden fastener or a decorative one. Fasteners similar to those discussed with respect to FIG. 3 are suitable for use for closing the hidden access opening 15 in FIG. 5. Again, the hidden access opening 15 may be provided on one surface of the garment or on both surfaces of the garment. The illustrative example of the hidden access opening 15 of FIG. 5 works particularly well with garments that include epaulettes similar to those shown in FIG. 2A.

The embodiments with the hidden access opening are not limited to those described above and the hidden access opening may be provided in other locations and may vary in configuration, i.e., open or fastened, decorative or hidden, etc. For example, in a garment without a lapel, the hidden access opening may be provided in the seam of the neckline with a hidden zipper and/or other fasteners, such as magnetic fasteners to hide the access opening. In certain embodiments, the garment may also include one or more fasteners between the fabric layers for attaching the shoulder pad to the internal shoulder area and for holding the shoulder pad in place. Suitable fasteners include snaps, hook and loop fasteners, buttons, magnetic fasteners, etc. In some embodiments, the hidden access provides access to an internal pocket shaped similar to the shoulder pad so as to prevent shifting or large movements of the shoulder pad within the garment and to maintain the shoulder pad's position within the garment.

In certain embodiments, which may be similar to any of the above-described embodiments of FIGS. 1-5, the shoulder pad may be attached to the inside surface of the shoulder area using a hook and loop fastener or any other type of relatively flat fastener, e.g., tape fastener, adhesive fastener, etc. For example, when a hook and hoop fastener is used in an embodiment similar to those of FIGS. 1A-2B, a first side of the hook and loop fastener is provided on each surface of the shoulder area, i.e., on the inside surface and on the exterior surface, and extends as a single piece along the shoulder area or may include multiple pieces provided in different areas of the shoulder area. A second, corresponding, side of the hook and loop fastener is provided on the shoulder pad so that the shoulder pad can be attached to the inside surface of the shoulder area. When the hook and loop fastener portion on the shoulder area, i.e., on the exterior surface, is not in use, the first side of the hook and loop fastener may be covered by a decorative fabric that includes a second, corresponding side of the hook and loop fastener. In some embodiments, the first side of the hook and loop fastener is covered with epaulettes, which may be similar to the epaulettes shown in FIGS. 2A-2B. In some embodiments, the decorative fabric covering the first side of the hook and loop fastener not in use has the same or contrasting color from the rest of the garment or may have a pattern which is the same or different from the rest of the garment. In other embodiments, decorative attachments and design elements may be used instead of the decorative fabric to cover the first side of the hook and loop fastener not in use.

In some embodiments, magnetic fasteners are used for attaching the shoulder pad to the inside surface of the shoulder area of the garment. For example, in certain embodiments, each shoulder area of the garment includes one or more metal plates or metallic strips or meshes provided between layers of material, and each shoulder pad includes one or more magnets or magnetic strips or meshes for attaching to the shoulder area of the garment. In another embodiment, magnets, in the form of magnetic strips, plates or mesh elements are provided in the shoulder areas of the garment between layers of material, while the shoulder pad includes one or more metallic plates, strips or mesh elements, or one or more corresponding magnetic portions. In any case, corresponding magnetic pieces are provided in the shoulder area and in the shoulder pad.

In certain embodiments, the magnetic fastener(s) portion provided within the garment between the garment layers may have notches or recesses formed therein, while the corresponding magnetic fastener portion(s) on the shoulder pads include corresponding ridges or protrusions. The notches/recesses and the corresponding ridges/protrusions are used for correctly positioning the shoulder pad relative to the shoulder area of the garment.

Alternatively, the magnetic fastener portion(s) in the shoulder areas of garment may have ridges or protrusions, while the magnetic fastener portion(s) on shoulder pads include corresponding notches or recesses. In some cases, a combination of recesses and protrusions may be used on each magnetic fastener portion. In order to provide the same shoulder pad positioning feature on both sides of the garment, the magnetic fastener portion(s) in the garment include the same recesses and protrusions on both surfaces thereof.

The advantage of magnetic fasteners is the ability to fasten the shoulder pads to the garment without the magnetic fastener portions in the shoulder areas of the garment being visible and without having to provide special coverings for the magnetic fastener portions in the garment. The magnetic fastener portions in the shoulder areas of the garment may be provided within internal pockets formed within the shoulder area between layers of material, or may be attached to the shoulder area by sewing, adhesives, or any other suitable means. Similarly, the magnetic fastener portions on the shoulder pads may be provided within the shoulder pads, between layers of material, within internal pockets or may be attached by sewing, adhesive, or any other suitable methods. Alternatively, the magnetic fastener portions on the shoulder pads may be provided on the outer surface thereof, or in some embodiments, the shoulder pads may be formed from the magnetic fastener material, e.g., metal or magnetic material.

Non-Removable Shoulder Pads

In the illustrative embodiments described below, the shoulder pads are non-removably attached to the reversible garment and are either flipped within the garment relative to the shoulder area of the garment when the garment is reversed or are capable of inverting and adapting their shape to the wearer's shoulder when the garment is reversed.

In certain embodiments, shoulder pads are permanently/non-removably attached to the shoulder area of the garment between layers of material in the shoulder area of the garment using a hinge mechanism. The hinge mechanism allows changing of the orientation of the shoulder pad within the shoulder area of the garment.

In some embodiments, the hinge mechanism attaches two opposing sides of each the shoulder pad, e.g., an arm facing side and a neck facing side, or a front facing side and a back facing side, to the shoulder area of the garment. The hinge mechanism may be a flexible cord, such as a braided string, which attaches each opposing side of the shoulder pad to the shoulder area of the garment and which is sufficiently long to allow movement of the shoulder pad so as to flip relative to the shoulder area of the garment. In other embodiments, the hinge mechanism is formed from metallic and/or plastic material and has a construction similar to a swivel or twist snap, a swivel clasp, or the like. In certain embodiments, the shoulder pad is connected to the shoulder area of the garment at one side only, rather than two opposing sides, using the hinge mechanism.

In the embodiments that use the hinging mechanism, when the garment is reversed, each shoulder pad is flipped, i.e., turned upside down, within the garment, relative to the garment so as to face in the appropriate direction. In order to allow for flipping of the shoulder pad within the garment, it is desired that the shoulder pad is made from more rigid materials, e.g., plastics or polymers, and/or includes some rigid elements, such as boning, within the shoulder pad. This construction of the shoulder pad makes it easier for the wearer to manipulate the shoulder pad within the shoulder area and to properly position the shoulder pad within the garment.

In some embodiments, an additional fastener, such as a snap fastener, a Velcro® (hook and loop) fastener or a magnetic fastener is provided to maintain positioning of the shoulder pad relative to the garment. This prevents shifting of the shoulder pad relative to the shoulder area when the garment is worn. In some embodiments, the garment has a hidden opening or access to allow the wearer to access the shoulder pad so as to flip it when needed, while in other embodiments, the fabric of the garment allows the user to flip the shoulder pad without an opening. The locations and configuration of the hidden opening or access may be similar to those shown in FIGS. 3-5 or may be different therefrom.

In other embodiments of the invention, the shoulder pad is permanently and securely connected to the shoulder area of the garment and is formed from a malleable and/or moldable material that allows the shoulder pad to be re-shaped when the garment is turned inside out. In such embodiments, the shoulder pad may be sewn into the garment and/or attached using an adhesive or another type of attachment and/or provided within an internal pocket formed between layers of material in the shoulder area of the garment. In certain embodiments, the material selected for the shoulder pad is a malleable and moldable material that can be manipulated by a user to re-shape the shoulder pad at room temperatures and that retains its shape after being manipulated. For example, some suitable materials include shape memory polymers, polymer clay material, silicone putty, etc. and combinations thereof. In such embodiments, the user would reverse the garment and then re-shape the shoulder pads in the garment to conform to the user's shoulders.

In some embodiments, the shoulder pads are formed from a malleable material that conforms to the shape of the shoulder when the garment is worn. For example, shoulder pads may be formed from compressed foam, memory foam, or shaped pads filled with one or more shape conformable fillers, such as glass or plastic beads, gell, silicone, buckwheat, micro foam beads, rice and other grains or seeds, sand, etc. In one illustrative example, the shoulder pads are formed from polyurethane outer covering filled with silicone, similar to adhesive silicone bra pads, or from other combinations of polymer or fabric covering filled with silicone or rubber-type materials. In these embodiments, when the user reverses the garment, the shoulder pads are inverted together with the garment and when the garment is worn, the shoulder pads conform to the user's shoulders.

In certain embodiments, the shoulder pad is configured so that a portion of the shoulder pad facing downward, i.e., the lower part of the shoulder pad, has more weight. This can be accomplished by adjusting the density of the material, i.e., density of the foam or silicone filler, or by adjusting the way the filler is distributed within the shoulder pad. In shoulder pads that use shape-conformable fillers, the shoulder pads may include internal, separated compartments therein, each of which is filled with a certain amount of shape-conformable filler.

In FIG. 6, the shoulder pad 100 includes multiple compartments 110 a-h filled with shape-conformable filler materials 120. The filler materials 120 may be the same throughout the shoulder pad 100 or may be different depending on the configuration and desired shape of the shoulder pad. For example, more dense filler materials may be provided in the outer shoulder areas 110 f-h as compared to the areas 110 a-b closer to the neckline in order to avoid compacting of the filler materials after many wears that would alter the shape of the shoulder pad. In some embodiments, heavier filler materials may be provided in the central areas 110 d-e of the shoulder pad in order to facilitate inverting of the shoulder pad when the garment is reversed. The number and arrangement of the separated compartments within the shoulder pad may vary and is not limited to the arrangement shown in FIG. 6. The configuration of the shoulder pad with multiple separated compartments helps to avoid having all or large portions of the filler accumulate in one area of the shoulder pad and prevents formation of lumps within the shoulder pad.

In some embodiments, the shoulder pads are structured and molded to have a specific shape, and are made from a material that has sufficient stiffness to retain the specific shape, but is flexible enough to be inverted. For example, the shoulder pads may be made from flexible natural and/or synthetic rubber, flexible plastics, silicone or other flexible polymers. FIGS. 7A-7B show an example of a shoulder pad in an original configuration (FIG. 7A) and in an inverted configuration (FIG. 7B). These types of shoulder pads work well when the shoulder pads have a relatively uniform thickness, especially around the periphery of the shoulder pad. The shoulder pads in these embodiments should have substantially the same configuration and shape when inverted as in their original configuration. However, the thickness of the shoulder pad may vary depending on its shape and the amount of lift or shaping provided by the shoulder pad.

In some embodiments, the shoulder pads are formed from any flexible material or fabric and include shaping elements, such as boning, wiring or other shaping elements, which define and retain the shape of the shoulder pads. The shaping elements are sufficiently stiff to maintain the shape of the shoulder pads, but are also sufficiently flexible so as to allow the shoulder pads to be inverted, after which the shaping elements maintain the shape of the shoulder pads in the inverted configuration. In one illustrative example, the shoulder pads are formed from conventional filled fabric or other suitable materials, and include wiring elements incorporated between layers of material to define the shape of the shoulder pads. In another illustrative examples, the shoulder pads are formed from fabric or any other suitable materials, such as foam, silicone, plastic, polymers, etc., and include curved shaping strips which are biased to be bent in a particular direction, i.e., concave or convex, and can be inverted to be bent in the opposite direction.

FIGS. 8A-8B show exemplary arrangements of the wiring elements 125 within the shoulder pads 100. However, these arrangements are merely illustrative and are not intended to be limiting. For example, a crisscross or a mesh-like arrangement of the wiring elements may be used instead of the arrangements shown. In this illustrative example, when the garment is reversed, the shoulder pads are also reversed by bending the wiring elements 125 in the shoulder pads 100 to conform to the user's shoulders.

In some illustrative examples, boning elements, such as flat boning, may be used to shape the shoulder pads so that they have a specific shape. In such embodiments, the boning elements are sufficiently flexible to be inverted so that the shoulder pad can be inverted when the garment is reversed and have substantially the same shape in the inverted position.

In the above embodiments, the garment includes removable or non-removable shoulder pads which can be reversed to allow the garment to be worn inside out. Although some embodiments describe specific types of materials that can be used for the shoulder pads, it is understood that other types of materials may also be used and that any of the above-mentioned materials may also be used in other embodiments. In addition, some of the features in different embodiments may be combined to allow for easier adjustment of the shoulder pads when the garment is worn inside out. For example, magnetic fasteners may be used together with the hinged non-removable shoulder pads described above. In another example, a hidden access opening may be provided for any of the non-removable shoulder pads embodiments in order to provide easier access to the shoulder pad to allow the user to easily adjust the shape of the shoulder pad.

Use of the phrases and/or terms such as, but not limited to, “exemplary embodiment,” “illustrative embodiment,” “another embodiment,” “other embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “certain embodiments,” “illustrative example,” “some variations,” “additional variations,” or variants thereof do NOT necessarily refer to the same embodiments. For example, language such as “some embodiments include a feature” followed by “some embodiments include an element” does NOT necessarily admit that both the feature and the element are included in all of the same embodiments.

In all cases, it is understood that the above-described embodiments and arrangements are merely illustrative of the many possible specific embodiments which represent applications of the present invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements, including use of different materials and various configurations of the garment and/or the shoulder pads, can be readily devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain embodiments of the present invention thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in from and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and equivalents thereof. 

I claim:
 1. A reversible garment for covering at least a portion of a wearer's upper body, comprising: at least one front panel for at least partially covering a front portion of a wearer's torso; at least one back panel for at least partially covering a back portion of the wearer's torso, wherein first and second shoulder areas are formed between the at least one front panel and the at least one back panel; first and second shoulder pads for providing shaping to the wearer's shoulders, each of the first and second shoulder pads being releasably attached to a respective one of the first and second shoulder areas, wherein the reversible garment has first and second opposing surfaces, with the first surface being external and the second surface being internal when the reversible garment is worn in a first configuration and the second surface being external and the first surface being internal when the reversible garment is worn in a second, inverted, configuration, and wherein the first and second shoulder pads are configured to (a) releasably attach to the second surface of the respective first and second shoulder areas when the reversible garment is worn in the first configuration, and (b) releasably attach to the first surface of the respective first and second shoulder areas when the reversible garment is worn in the second configuration.
 2. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: one or more first fastening portions provided on the second surface of each of the first and second shoulder areas; one or more second fastening portions provided on each of the first and second shoulder pads and configured to couple with the one or more first fastening portions to releasably attach the first and second shoulder pads to the respective first and second shoulder areas; and one or more third fastening portions provided on the first surface of each of the first and second shoulder areas.
 3. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 2, wherein the third fastening portions are configured to couple with the one or more second fastening portions on each of the first and second shoulder pads.
 4. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 2, wherein the third fastening portions have a different configuration from the first fastening portions and the reversible garment further comprises one or more fourth fastening portions provided on each of the first and second shoulder pads and configured to couple with one or more third fastening portions to releasably attach the first and second shoulder pads to the respective first and second shoulder areas.
 5. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 2, wherein the one or more first fastening portions and the one or more third fastening portions comprise decorative fastening portions.
 6. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 2, wherein the first and second shoulder areas include respective first and second epaulettes on the first surface thereof, and wherein each of the first and second epaulettes is configured to releasably couple with at least one third fastening portion on the respective first and second shoulder area.
 7. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 6, wherein the first and second epaulettes are configured to conceal one or more of the third fastening portions on the respective first and second shoulder area.
 8. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 1, wherein: each of the first and second shoulder areas includes one or more first fastening portions; and each of the first and second shoulder pads include one or more second fastening portions configured to magnetically couple with the one or more first fastening portions to releasably attach the first and second shoulder pads to the respective first and second shoulder areas.
 9. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 8, wherein the one or more first fastening portions are provided between layers of material of the first and second shoulder areas.
 10. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 8, wherein one of the first and second fastening portions includes one or more recesses formed therein and the other one of the first and second fastening portions includes one or more projections formed therein, said one or more projections being configured to fit into said one or more recesses and to aid in positioning the first and second shoulder pads relative to the respective first and second shoulder areas.
 11. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 10, wherein each first fastening portion includes a first fastening surface and an opposing second fastening surface, and wherein said one of recesses and projections are provided on the first and second fastening surfaces of the first fastening portion.
 12. A reversible garment for covering at least a portion of a wearer's upper body, comprising: at least one front panel for at least partially covering a front portion of a wearer's torso; at least one back panel for at least partially covering a back portion of the wearer's torso, wherein first and second shoulder areas are formed between the at least one front panel and the at least one back panel; first and second shoulder pads for providing shaping to the wearer's shoulders, each of the first and second shoulder pads being positioned between layers of material of the respective one of the first and second shoulder areas, wherein the reversible garment includes at least one hidden access opening configured to allow access to the first and second shoulder pads from outside of the reversible garment, said first and second shoulder pads being one of (a) removable from the respective first and second shoulder areas via the hidden access opening and (b) invertible while being retained in the first and second shoulder areas.
 13. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 12, wherein the at least one hidden access opening is provided on one or more of an inner surface and an outer surface of the reversible garment and the at least one hidden access opening is substantially concealed from view when the garment is worn by a wearer.
 14. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 12, further comprising at least one fastener for opening and closing the at least one hidden access opening, wherein the at least one fastener is concealed when the garment is worn by a wearer.
 15. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 12, wherein each hidden access opening is provided along one of (a) an armhole seam connecting a sleeve to the respective first or second shoulder area; (b) an armhole seam connecting the sleeve to the at least one front panel; (c) an armhole seam connecting the sleeve to the at least one back panel; and (d) a seam along the respective first or second shoulder area.
 16. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 12, wherein the reversible garment comprises a collar and a lapel extending from the collar, and wherein the hidden access opening is provided on one of the front and back panels at a position covered by one of the collar and the lapel when the garment is worn by a wearer.
 17. The reversible garment in accordance with claim 12, wherein each of the first and second shoulder pads is attached to the respective first and second shoulder area using a hinge configured to allow the respective first and second shoulder pad to be inverted while being retained in the respective first and second shoulder area.
 18. An invertible shoulder pad for use in a garment comprising a substrate including a plurality of internal separated compartments, wherein each of the plurality of separated compartments is filled with shape conformable filler materials and the plurality of separated compartments are separated from one another along at least one of a width and a length of the substrate.
 19. The invertible shoulder pad in accordance with claim 18, wherein at least one of the plurality of separated compartments is filled more densely than another one of the plurality of separated compartments.
 20. An invertible shoulder pad for use in a garment comprising a flexible substrate configured to define a shape of a wearer's shoulder and a plurality of bendable shaping elements for adjusting and retaining the shape of the flexible substrate, wherein the shoulder pad is configured to be inverted by bending the plurality of shaping elements.
 21. The invertible shoulder pad in accordance with claim 20, wherein the shaping elements comprise one or more of boning and wiring.
 22. An invertible shoulder pad comprising a substrate having a predetermined shape and formed from a flexible polymer material, wherein the shoulder pad is configured to be inverted from an original configuration to an inverted configuration and wherein the shoulder pad has substantially the same predetermined shape in the original configuration and in the inverted configuration.
 23. A reversible garment for covering at least a portion of a wearer's upper body, comprising: at least one front panel for at least partially covering a front portion of a wearer's torso; at least one back panel for at least partially covering a back portion of the wearer's torso, wherein first and second shoulder areas are formed between the at least one front panel and the at least one back panel; wherein the reversible garment has first and second opposing surfaces, with the first surface being external and the second surface being internal when the reversible garment is worn in a first configuration and the second surface being external and the first surface being internal when the reversible garment is worn in a second, inverted, configuration, and wherein the first and second shoulder areas are configured to (a) releasably couple first and second shoulder pads to the second surface of the respective first and second shoulder areas in the first configuration and (b) releasably couple first and second shoulder pads to the first surface of the respective first and second shoulder areas in the second configuration. 